Explained: Why are government school teachers protesting in Tamil Nadu

Secondary Grade government school teachers in Tamil Nadu have been protesting since December 26, 2025, in Chennai highlighting the pay disparity among teachers within their pay grade. Organised by the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association, over 20,000 secondary grade teachers attached to government schools across the State have been demanding ‘Equal pay for Equal work’. Scores of teachers have been detained by the police during the protest on a daily basis.

Secondary-grade teachers appointed before June 1, 2009, receive a basic pay of ₹8,370. But those appointed after that date only receive ₹5,200. At present, post-2009 appointees draw a monthly salary of about ₹20,600, including allowances, compared with about ₹28,950 for those appointed earlier. Teachers point out allowances are linked to basic pay. With the implementation of each Pay Commission, the pay disparity has widened.

The disparity now amounts to over 12-yearly increments showing a difference of at least Rs 16,000 as the allowances such as dearness allowance and house rent allowance were linked to basic pay. The teachers have been demanding this pay disparity be resolved. The duties between the elementary teachers appointed before and after 2009 remains the same. They demand that a government order resolving this anomaly be issued.

Teachers have been protesting pay difference since 2014. The demands are also part of the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTTO-GEO), an umbrella outfit. This time, in the first phase of the protests, the teachers went to work wearing the “Equal Pay for Equal Work” demand card from December 1, 2025. In the second phase, they held a rally throwing light on the demand in their respective districts highlighting the issue that has been neglected by successive governments. In the third phase, the teachers have gone on an indefinite strike.

In 2010, a one-man commission under the then Industries Secretary Rajiv Ranjan was constituted to study the disputes within pay scales across grades in government employees. While many grades of government employees found relief, secondary grade teachers continued to remain at the same pay scale. When the Seventh Pay Commission came into force in 2018, another committee was formed to look into the pay anomalies. This time too, nothing came of it. During these protests, when M.K. Stalin, the incumbent Chief Minister, was the Leader of the Opposition, he supported the teachers and promised to resolve the issue. This assurance also found a mention in the DMK poll manifesto during the 2021 elections. However, four years since the party came to power, the issue continues.

In 2023 when the teachers continued to protest, the State government formed a three-member committee with the Finance Secretary (expenditure), Principal Secretary of the School Education Department and Director of Elementary Education to address their issues. The Committee has since submitted its report. When the teachers staged a protest in September last year, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi held talks with them. Yet, no action has been taken.

The Tamil Nadu government and its School Education department are yet to respond to the demands of teachers. Various opposition parties including the AIADMK, BJP, PMK and DMK’s allies such as the CPI and CPM have come out in support of the teachers’ protest and condemned the police action on them. The JACTTO-GEO has announced a strike on January 6 seeking fulfilment of various demands including the issue at hand. As schools are set to reopen after the Christmas vacation on January 5, the teachers vow to continue their protests. The government has its task cut out in an election year.